When Hype Turns Hollow

cricket rivalries are electric. They’re emotional. They’re loud. They’re dramatic.

But there’s a line between competitive banter and cheap caricature — and some recent ads seem to have blurred it.

The issue isn’t rivalry. Rivalry is the lifeblood of sport. The issue is how it’s portrayed.

When one fan base is shown as sharp, composed, and superior — while the other is reduced to exaggerated stereotypes — it stops being playful. It starts feeling disrespectful.

And that’s where the discomfort begins.

1️⃣ Rivalry Doesn’t Require Ridicule

You can build anticipation without belittling people.

You can promote intensity without mocking identity.

When advertising frames one group of fans as intelligent and dominant, and the opposing fans as foolish, weak, or greedy, it sends a message far beyond the scoreboard.

Sport is competitive.
Humiliation shouldn’t be.

The best rivalries in cricket history were fierce without being demeaning. Passion doesn’t need prejudice.

2️⃣ Short-Term Laughs, Long-Term Damage

Let’s be honest about how advertising works.

Provocative content spreads faster.
Exaggeration grabs attention.
Stereotypes often trigger instant reactions.

But viral isn’t the same as valuable.

Yes, sponsors chase clicks.
Yes, controversy fuels engagement.

But cheap laughs can chip away at credibility — not just for the brand, but for the sport itself.

Respect builds legacy.
Mockery builds momentary noise.

3️⃣ indian cricket Doesn’t Need This

indian cricket doesn’t need superiority narratives crafted at someone else’s expense.

It’s already a global powerhouse — commercially, competitively, culturally.

When ads lean into caricature instead of class, they don’t elevate the brand. They shrink it.

cricket has spent decades positioning itself as a global game — inclusive, diverse, unifying.

Why undermine that image for a few seconds of cringe humor?

4️⃣ There’s a Difference Between Banter and Bias

Friendly jabs? Fine.
Playful digs? Part of sport.
Creative storytelling? Always welcome.

But turning entire fan bases into punchlines is lazy writing.

Good advertising is sharp.
Great advertising is clever.
Lazy advertising leans on stereotypes.

And in today’s hyper-connected world, audiences are far more aware — and far less forgiving.

5️⃣ Superiority Isn’t Built by Downgrading Others

The strongest brands don’t scream dominance.

They project confidence.

When you show yourself as superior by reducing others, you don’t look powerful — you look insecure.

True rivalry celebrates competition.


It doesn’t mock culture.
It doesn’t caricature communities.
It doesn’t punch down.

The Bigger Picture

cricket has the power to unite millions across data-borders. It has survived politics, scandals, controversies, and commercial pressures.

What it doesn’t need is marketing that chips away at its dignity.

The world is watching. The sport is bigger than any one campaign. And respect — once lost — is far harder to win back than a match.

If broadcasters want hype, create drama around the game.

Let performance do the talking.

Because greatness doesn’t need to shout — and it certainly doesn’t need to belittle.